1. Field
This disclosure relates generally to forming semiconductor devices, and more specifically, to forming a lifetime monitor.
2. Related Art
Excessive voltage and/or extreme temperature conditions, which may be defined as overstress, cause semiconductor devices to fail earlier than expected. This is especially problematic in high performance devices where the semiconductor devices are exposed to excessive voltages, where “overclock” occurs when the voltage stated in the specification is purposely surpassed. This problem also arises in automotive applications where the semiconductor devices are exposed to very high temperatures due to their proximity to the engine. It is difficult to detect these undesirable conditions.
Prior art solutions for detecting excessive voltage and extreme temperature conditions are provided at the transistor level. The prior art utilizes clock edge counting or voltage comparators.